Law enforcement officials in Florida have made two additional arrests in connection with a multi-agency investigation into the abandonment of dogs along a St. Augustine roadway. The case began in early May when deputies with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office discovered approximately 23 Chihuahuas left on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 1.
Initial inquiries linked the abandoned animals to 48-year-old Carolyn Loveman of Palm Coast. On May 18, deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at Loveman's residence, where they located and seized 51 additional dogs. Loveman was subsequently taken into custody and charged with one count of felony aggravated animal cruelty and 31 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office announced on Wednesday that the investigation had expanded to include two other suspects. Authorities state that Loveman's son, 32-year-old Austin Moore, transported the 23 dogs from his mother's home to St. Johns County for disposal. Moore was allegedly joined by 23-year-old Anthony Dunham during the incident. The agency reported that three of the dogs died as a result of the abandonment.
Both Moore and Dunham were arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. They each face three counts of aggravated animal cruelty and 20 counts of animal neglect. The combined efforts of the two agencies resulted in the removal of 74 dogs from the respective investigations.
